What are synonyms for the word said

One of the words that comes up most commonly in various types of writing, from fiction to academic writing, is the word “said.” Any time a writer is referencing the words or thoughts expressed by another person, whether that be thoughts expressed verbally or in writing, an appropriate way to introduce—or attribute—that person’s thoughts is with the phrase “said.” 

But if you’re incorporating a lot of quotations in your writing, you might find yourself repeating  the word “said” a lot. Repeating the same phrase in a piece of writing can start to feel monotonous, which is why incorporating synonyms or an oft-used word or phrase can make your writing more interesting and accurate. But here’s some good news: there are tons of other words for “said” out there for you to use! 

To help you build a repertoire of words to replace “said,” we’re going to do the following in this article: 

• Explain the importance of using word variety and avoiding repetition of the same word in your writing
• Explain when to use “said” and when not to use “said” 
• Provide a comprehensive list of alternative words for “said,” organized into categories based on emotion and intention

Ready to check out some synonyms for “said”? Then let’s get going!

To give you the most comprehensive and easy-to-navigate list, we’ve organized our list into two main categories: first, we’re including several lists of other words for “said” by emotion, and second, we’re including several lists of different words for “said” by intention or action. You can decide what meaning you’re trying to express in your writing, and use our lists accordingly!

Happy Words to Use Instead of “Said”

We’re going to kick off our list by giving you a lot of other words for “said” by emotion, starting with synonyms for “said” that convey a happy, joyful, or positive tone. 

Applauded	Congratulated	Prattled
Approved	Consoled	Preened
Assured	Cooed	Proclaimed
Babbled	Crowed	Professed
Bantered	Encouraged	Promised
Beamed	Giggled	Quipped
Blathered	Greeted	Reassured
Blithered	Hooted	Reckoned
Boasted	Jabbered	Remarked
Bragged	Jested	Remembered
Bubbled	Joked	Sang
Cheered	Laughed	Smiled
Chortled	Marveled	Soothed
Chorused	Nodded	Spoke
Chuckled	Offered	Teased
Comforted	Piped	Vowed
Confided	Praised	Yakked

Sad Words to Use Instead of “Said” 

Sadness is a common emotion expressed in writing—let’s look at a few synonyms for “said” that convey sadness. 

Bawled	Gurgled	Sobbed
Choked	Moaned	Wailed
Coughed	Sighed	Wept
Cried	Sniffed	Whimpered
Groaned	Sniffled	Whined

Angry Words to Replace “Said”

There are a ton of synonyms for “said” that express anger, and we’ve included several of them for you here. 

Accused	Disparaged	Rejected
Badgered	Fumed	Reprimanded
Barked	Griped	Reproached
Bellowed	Groused	Roared
Berated	Growled	Sassed
Boomed	Grunted	Scoffed
Censured	Harassed	Scolded
Chastised	Hissed	Scorned
Chided	Hollered	Shouted
Clucked	Interrupted	Smirked
Commanded	Jeered	Snapped
Complained	Jibed	Snarled
Corrected	Mocked	Sneered
Criticized	Muttered	Snickered
Demanded	Nagged	Snorted
Denied	Ranted	Stormed
Deried	Rebuked	Taunted
Dismissed	Rebuffed	Threatened

Different Words for “Said” That Express Shock or Surprise

When you want to communicate a tone of shock or surprise in your writing, try using these synonyms for “said”! 

Blurted	Gawked	Spouted
Divulged	Leered	Started
Exclaimed	Let slip	Wondered
Gaped	Ogled
Gasped	Spilled

Other Words for “Said” That Express Fear

The last emotion it might be helpful to be able to express accurately and vividly in your writing is fear. Here’s a list of synonyms for “said” that you can use to demonstrate a feeling of fear. 

Agonized	Hesitated	Shrilled
Begged	Implored	Shuddered
Beseeched	Mumbled	Spluttered
Blanched	Murmured	Spooked
Bleated	Paled	Sputtered
Brooded	Panicked	Squeaked
Cautioned	Panted	Stammered
Confessed	Pleaded	Started
Cowered	Quaked	Tensed
Cringed	Quavered	Trembled
Croaked	Quivered	Warned
Faltered	Recoiled	Whispered
Fretted	Screamed	Worried
Gasped	Shivered	Yelped
Gulped	Shrieked

Words to Replace “Said” That Are Expository

If you’re working with a quote in which the speaker is clarifying information or explaining something, you can try out these words instead of “said”!

Added	Depicted	Rejoined
Advised	Elucidated	Remarked
Answered	Explained	Replied
Clarified	Illuminated	Responded
Defined	Illustrated	Retorted
Delineated	Portrayed	Returned

Other Words for “Said” That Are Argumentative

When you incorporate quotes or dialogue that make an argument, use these synonyms for “said” in your attributions.

Advanced	Claimed	Insisted
Appealed	Contended	Maintained
Argued	Corroborated	Posited
Attested	Countered	Proposed
Authenticated	Declared	Refuted
Bespoke	Defended	Substantiated
Certified	Emphasized
Challenged	Held

Words to Use Instead of “Said” That Are Critical 

If a speaker in a quote or piece of dialogue is forming a critique, incorporate one of these different words for “said” in your attribution.

Analyzed	Critiqued	Gauged
Appraised	Estimated	Interposed
Assayed	Evaluated	Interpreted
Assessed	Examined	Judged
Concluded	Explicated	Reviewed
Considered	Figured	Surveyed

Words to Use Instead of “Said” That Are Implicative

Try using these alternative words for “said” that imply meaning. 

Adumbrated	Hinted	Predicted
Alluded	Implied	Professed
Connoted	Indicated	Signaled
Foreshadowed	Insinuated	Signified
Forewarned	Intimated	Stated
Heralded	Portended	Suggested

Words to Replace “Said” That Seek Information

Sometimes you need to include an attribution that shows a speaker is searching for information. These synonyms for “said” can help you establish a tone of inquisitiveness!

Adjured	Inquired	Questioned
Asked	Inspected	Quizzed
Begged	Interrogated	Requested
Demanded	Perused	Researched
Exhorted	Pondered	Scrutinized
Explored	Probed	Searched
Implored	Queried

Words to Replace “Said” That Reveal Information

Finally, if you need a word other than “said” that reveals information, try out the options in the list below. 

Accepted	Conceded	Owned
Acknowledged	Confessed	Recognized
Admitted	Disclosed	Reported
Affirmed	Divulged	Revealed
Alleged	Exposed	Volunteered
Allowed	Granted
Betrayed	Imparted

When to Use Different Words for “Said” in Your Writing…And When Not To

In most cases, deciding when to use words other than “said” in your writing is up to your discretion. But there are actually some situations when it’s correct to use “said” exclusively to attribute a piece of dialogue or a quote in your writing. This depends on the type of writing, so we’re going to break down the situations when you should definitely use “said” here!

Journalism

The first situation where you can expect to see writers exclusively using “said” is in any type of writing that relies on AP Style. “AP” stands for “Associated Press,” and this set of style guidelines is the standard for journalistic writing. This includes writing for newspapers, magazines, and public relations in the United States. AP Style provides a lot of rules about grammar, spelling, punctuation, and language use, and using “said” for quote attribution is one of those rules.

Impartiality and objectivity are two values that are extremely important in journalistic writing. Unlike many synonyms for “said,” which reveal a speaker’s feelings, attitude, or intentions, “said” doesn’t try to interpret the feelings, attitude, or intentions of the speaker. “Said” just states factual information: the words in the quote were spoken by a person or group of people. Using “said” allows the journalist to remain impartial and objective about the information, and it also lets readers interpret the meaning of quoted material on their own. 

Technical Writing

While not exactly a rule, using “said” is an unspoken expectation for quote attribution in technical writing. Technical writing is a style of writing used in business environments and some scientific fields, like engineering. It’s important for this style of writing to be clear, specific, and, in most cases, concise. In fact, readers of technical writing appreciate a writer’s ability to communicate directly and plainly by using short, direct words. That’s why “said” is the best choice for introducing quotes or paraphrases in technical writing: it’s clear, specific, and concise. 

Creative Writing 

Creative writing is a third situation that might require you to think strategically about when to use “said.” In creative writing—like fiction, for instance—when and how often to use “said” is pretty much up for debate. There are a lot of synonyms for “said” that you can use to convey the emotions or intentions of a character in dialogue, but you don’t necessarily have to use some flowery synonym for “said” every time you include a piece of dialogue in creative writing. In fact, sometimes it’s okay to strategically omit attributions altogether. 

Here’s one example of a way to present dialogue in creative writing that doesn’t overuse attributions: 

Even without attributions for every piece of dialogue in the example above, you can still get an idea of how the characters feel and what their intentions are through the dialogue beats (“She crossed her arms angrily,” and, “Paige shook her head”). Alternatively, dialogue attributions in creative writing are another place where word variety is important. Your attributions are a great way for you to add emotion and imagery to your work. That means sometimes you might simply use “said,” sometimes you might use a more expressive synonym for “said,” and other times you might forego attributions altogether.

Academic Writing

One final writing situation where you’ll find yourself needing to make decisions about when to use “said” is academic, research-based writing. In academic writing, it’s important to be clear about who you are quoting and to provide adequate context for the quote you include. For example, if the scholar you’re quoting is making an argument in the quote you include, it would be more accurate to say, “Dr. Garcia argued” or “Dr. Garcia claimed,” instead of “Dr. Garcia said.” Using a quote attribution that gives your reader a clearer sense of the speaker or writer’s purpose and tone. 

3 Reasons Why Word Variety Is Important in Writing

Word variety is important to any type of writing for three main reasons: using a variety of words can make your writing more engaging, more accurate, and more expressive.

First, using a variety of words can make your writing more engaging and interesting for the people who are reading it. In some types of writing, like poetry, repetition is used as a strategic stylistic device. In lots of cases, though, writers repeat the same word because they don’t know its synonyms. After a while, readers might feel a bit exhausted by repetitiveness in a piece of writing. That’s one reason why knowing and using synonyms for commonly repeated words is so important!

Second, word variety can make your writing more accurate. For example, while “said” is always going to accurately describe a piece of dialogue or a quote from an outside source, there are words to use instead of “said” that can reveal the intention behind dialogue or the information conveyed in a quote. 

Let’s say you incorporate a quote where the author is disagreeing with a point made by a scholar. Sure, you could introduce that quote with, “Dr. Smith said.” But you could be more accurate by introducing the quote with a word that indicates that the quote is going to express disagreement, like, “Dr. Smith countered” or “Dr. Smith responded.” 

Finally, your writing is expressive and vivid when you avoid repetition. When your word choice reflects the emotions or tone expressed by a quote or piece of dialogue that you include in your writing, your readers can get a better sense of your intended meaning. Using synonyms for “said” to create tone and imagery in your writing can help readers better understand your position and make them more willing to buy into your ideas. 

What’s Next? 

If you’re studying for the verbal portion of your SAT or ACT, we’ve got you covered. Here are our expert guides to the verbal portions of the SAT and ACT, and we even have tips and tricks to help you tackle the essay sections! These are just a few of the tons (and tons!) of resources we have, so be sure to check out our blog for more information.

This cheat sheet for ways to say “said” can be really helpful if you’re starting to write your college admissions essays. Learn how to start your essay off perfectly, and make sure you know the biggest mistakes you should avoid, too.

If you’re using this guide to help you write creatively, you might be a great fit for a creative writing degree! Here’s a guide to the best creative writing colleges and programs in the United States. 

Have friends who also need help with test prep? Share this article!

Princeton’s WordNetRate this antonym:3.1 / 12 votes

1. aforesaid(a), aforementioned(a), said(a)adjective

   being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

   «works of all the aforementioned authors»; «said party has denied the charges»

   Antonyms:
   other

Editors ContributionRate these synonyms:3.7 / 11 votes

1. spoke

   related to the word said as a synonym

   elizabeth spoke, «i think i’ve heard enough.»

   Submitted by rinat on August 15, 2019  

2. replied

   because i think that it really works and is really connected to «said»

   she replied

   Submitted by rinat on October 2, 2019  

3. stated

   she stated that she saw nothing during the time of the robbery

   Submitted by anonymous on September 6, 2020  

4. scoffed, yelled, scolded, complained, whimpered, reported, whispered, admitted, replied

   there are a lot of synonyms for said. synonyms can be different depending on your character’s feelings.

   some more synonyms: scoffed, yelled, scolded, complained, whimpered, reported, whispered, admitted, mouthed, replied, told, bragged, teased, insisted, blushed, apologized, howled, demanded, promised, laughed, giggled, chuckled, bellowed, volunteered, snapped, thundered, screamed, reprimanded, warned, guessed, sniveled, begged, uttered, urged, cried, etc.

   «there is a monster!» shrieked maxine.

   Submitted by anonymous on October 26, 2020  

PPDB, the paraphrase databaseRate these paraphrases:3.8 / 18 votes

1. List of paraphrases for «said»:

   told, stated, declared, reported, sayid, mentioned, saeed, announced, added, indicated, say, says, expressed, noted, this, explained, tell, claimed, affirmed, asserted, confirmed, stressed, clarified, testified, pointed, saïd, syed, argued, that

NicknamesRate these nicknames:5.0 / 1 vote

1. List of known nicknames for «Said»:

   Saïd

Suggested Resources

1. said

   Song lyrics by said — Explore a large variety of song lyrics performed by said on the Lyrics.com website.

2. SAID

   What does SAID stand for? — Explore the various meanings for the SAID acronym on the Abbreviations.com website.

How to pronounce said?

How to say said in sign language?

How to use said in a sentence?

1. Patrick Foy:

   I’ve been doing this for 21 years and some of us have been around in excess of three decades. We all kind of looked at each other and said we’ve known of nothing close to this many raptors involved in a poaching case.

2. John Kasich:

   If I said some of the things he said, I would’ve been run out of Ohio, i cannot explain it, I don’t understand how people looked the other way and didn’t care about some of these incendiary things that and the way that not only him but others behaved.

3. Adam Kinzinger:

   When we began to see that fall apart, that’s when the order should have been given to basically enter a defensive posture and get everybody out we can and not have to wait to three days prior because a lot of us were watching this happen. We were talking about it and it’s like it wasn’t a surprise to many of us, he said.

4. Don Cherry:

   I know what I said and I meant it, everybody in Canada should wear a poppy to honor our fallen soldiers.

5. Simon Cowell:

   The hardest thing was, and I said this to Lauren when I came out of the hospital, I was so embarrassed about coming home, looking about 100 [years old] because I couldn’t walk, and I have these metal rods in my back and all these screws.

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Citation

Use the citation below to add these synonyms to your bibliography:

Communication is an essential part of our daily lives. We ourselves communicate,
and others communicate to us through words, but also through gestures, facial
expressions, body language, writings, texts, media, etc.

Especially today, in an age of technology and instant communication, more than ever people are sharing what they think and saying what they want when they want with the most liberty.

It’s understandable why you would look for synonyms, or other ways of saying, the
word “said”, or “says”. “Said” is the past-tense of “says”. So, we would use it if we are recalling or repeating something someone said at a previous time.

For example:

• “My doctor said my health has been improving over the last few
  weeks.”

To use “said”, means someone was speaking, or talking. Of course, we know
there are various ways of speaking, right?

We could SHOUT! We could whisper… We could speak, loud, low, fast, slow, carefully, carelessly, angrily, lovingly, and the list goes on, and there is a way of describing each and every type of manner spoken.

“Said” is more general. It means the words were spoken or
declared. Below are a few synonyms you could use for “said” as well as examples of how you can add some descriptors.

Say
To speak words.

Said
Words spoken in the past.

Most common synonyms for SAID

Declared
Something said with certainty and conviction.

• The politician passionately declared the changes he promised to bring about.
• I declared I would have to move out of my flat by the end of the month.

Disclosed
To share secret information.

• I felt our friendship tighten, when Ana disclosed this personal experience
  with me.
• The journalist only said she would not reveal who disclosed the confidential
  story to her.

Discussed
To talk about something with others.

• We were both angry, but we discussed the matter in a cordial and polite
  manner.
•  I’ve discussed music and literature more times than I can remember in this
  famous jazz club.

Chatted
To casually talk with others.

• We chatted over coffee and pastries during our work break.
• I love the way my dad chats with me when we have time to spend together.

Communicated
To share information.

• I communicated my personal opinions to my manager about how this
  department was running.
• My boyfriend communicated his sincere admiration for my determination when I completed my first running marathon.

Mentioned
To say or refer to something briefly.

• I was surprised my mom didn’t mention how dirty my flat was when she
  came to visit.
• She tried not to mention how much she missed her family during the
  holidays, because it would only maker her more homesick.

Voiced
To share an opinion or attitude.

• The student voiced his opinion of how unfair the teacher was managing the
  class.
• The citizens voiced their extreme dissatisfaction with the local government
  through protests.

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Words to use INSTEAD of Said

When the Speaker is Happy

Rejoiced

When someone is happy about something, they rejoice. This is a stronger word than simply saying they are happy.

• “Now, we can FINALLY enjoy the party,” rejoiced the bride, who had been planning the wedding ceremony for months.
• “I honestly can’t believe that we pulled it off,” rejoiced the teachers.

Celebrated

When there is something specifically good that happens, you can celebrate!

• “I am so happy for your promotion!” celebrated Winston.
• “This definitely calls for some champagne,” celebrated Pauline.

Laughed

When someone is making a joke, or trying to get someone else to laugh, you can use this.

• “I can’t believe you fell for that trick!” laughed Derek
• “You thought what?! No, he is my brother and not my boyfriend!” laughed Susan.

Chuckled

Chuckled is a synonym for laughed, but is a smaller laugh. If you chuckle, something is slightly funny but does not make you roll on the floor with laughter.

• “Yeah, I thought that you might find it funny,” chuckled Sam.
• Diane chuckled, “That was why you were trying to avoid him this whole time?”

Joked

When someone says something that is not serious, you can say that they joke about a topic.

• “Maybe we should get married tonight,” joked Tommy, whose girlfriend thought he was completely serious.
• She joked, “Perhaps your dreams would actually happen if they were actually important to you.”

Beamed

To beam means to have a giant smile on your face. If you beam when you say something, it means that you are extremely happy that it happened and you are glad to show it to everyone.

• “I have some great news,” the man beamed. “My wife is pregnant!”
• “Son, I am so proud of you,” George’s father beamed.

Marveled

To marvel at something means to admire it a lot. If you are marveling, you are looking at something that you think deserves a lot of praise. It often is something that captures your attention like nothing else!

• “These chocolate chip cookies are the best that I have ever tasted!” marveled the boy.
• “The view from the top of Machu Picchu is simply incredible; it has got to be one of the most beautiful views in the world!” marveled Rebecca.

Cheered

When you cheer about something, it means that you are celebrating it. You yell in joy because you are happy, often because something turned out the way that you had hope. A good situation in which you would use this is if you win a sports match that you really wanted to win. Or, you can cheer if you watch your favorite team win!

• “This now proves our team is the best!” cheered Uncle Dave.
• “If you keep this up, I am sure our company will continue to grow,” cheered the CEO.

Sang

While most of the time sang is used in the context of singing a song, it is not always. You can use sang if there is a song or tune involved. However, it can also help show a speaker’s emotion. If someone is saying something in a singing way, this means that they are very excited.

Imagine a little girl skipping down a road, singing something to herself – showing that she is very happy. If someone sings a sentence, it means they feel very excited and want to show that emotion off.

• “It is the end of the school year! Summer vacation, here I come!” sang Jenny.
• “I just can’t believe I am getting married today!” sang the bride to be as she picked up her wedding dress.

Giggled

To giggle means to laugh lightly. Most of the time, the laugher is a bit embarrassed to laugh but thinks something is too funny not to giggle.

• “Who thought that Bobby would be the last one to cross the river?” giggled the students.
• “The panda baby that is trying to get its mother’s attention is absolutely adorable,” giggled Brian.

Gloated

To gloat means to show off. When you are proud of something that you did and want everyone to know, you can gloat. Usually, gloat means that you will cause other people to be frustrated.

• “Even though I study much less than you, I still got a better grade!” gloated Fred.

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When the Speaker is Worried

Gulped

When someone visibly swallows before they say something, they gulp.

• “I really do not think I am the best person to give this presentation,” gulped Thomas.

Stuttered

When someone is unable to say words smoothly, and it feels like they have words stuck in their throat, they stutter.

• “W…w…what did you w…want?” stuttered Lily.

Whispered

To whisper means to say something very quietly, trying not to be heard by anyone else.

• “Can you tell me the plan again?” whispered Ryan.

Trembled

When someone trembles, it means that they are visibly shaking. They cannot control their emotions and are very frightened or nervous.

• “Does anyone else see that tiger over there?” trembled Amy.

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When the Speaker Will Not Change Their Mind

Commanded

When you think of an army general, or an angry mom, they speak in commands.

• “Why are these tasks not yet finished?!” commanded the project leader.

Insisted

To insist means to be convinced that you are right, even if you are not.

• “I am sure that I was the last employee to leave on Friday night,” insisted Peggy.

Dictated

To dictate means to give an order than must be obeyed.

• “I want all these toys cleaned up from the floor by the time that I get home!” dictated father.

Demanded

When you demand something, you are authoritatively asking someone to do something.

• “I ordered strawberry, not peach. Switch this out right away!” demanded the young man.

Ordered

Ordering someone around means to ask for something to be done right away, and not allow someone to deny you.

• “Three day delivery is unacceptable; I need this here tomorrow!” ordered the operations supervisor.

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When the Speaker is Sad

Whined

A baby whines when they do not get what they want. You can whine when you are complaining about something.

• “This hike took way longer than I expected, and I am tired,” whined Francis.

Bawled

To bawl is to cry very loudly and very hard.

• “I do not want to go to bed yet,” bawled Catherine.

Groaned

To groan means to make a sound of protest against someone’s wishes. It is like a sigh, but it is much more obvious that the speaker is displeased.

• “I can’t believe mom is making us take out the trash AGAIN,” groaned Christian.

Sobbed

To sob also means to cry, but is usually a heavier crying. It is often in response to an unfortunate thing happening.

• “Even though the doctors told us mom did not have long to live, her death still was a shock,” sobbed the daughter.

Cried

When someone is crying, you can describe their speech that way.

• “But mom, I want to eat a lollipop!” cried the baby boy.

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When the Speaker is Angry

Roared

A lion may roar, indicating that they are very loud and about to attack.

• “WHO STOLE MY COFFEE?!” roared the man.

Bellowed

To bellow means to speak very loudly. Usually it means that the person has a deep voice that is trying to be heard everywhere.

• “Anyone who has a ticket for the next flight should go to the ticket check now,” bellowed the voice over the loud speaker.

Grunted
Grunting is a low, guttural sound that usually can remind you of an animal.

Ranted
To rant means to talk about something nonstop. Typically, you are angry about something and want to express all your thoughts to someone.

Barked
Like a dog, barking something means to shout it sharply.

Sneered
To sneer means to make an angry and deriding face at someone.

Snapped
To snap is like snapping something closed; you quickly blurt out something because you are angry.

Thundered
Someone who speaks like this sounds like thunder: very loud and annoyed.

Fumed
To fume means to be so mad you can see flames or smoke coming off the top of your head.

Hissed
To hiss is make a sound like a snake (lots of s’s), usually in a low, angry tone.

• “I thought you would take care of this problem!” hissed Steve.

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When the Speaker is Quiet

Whispered

• “This is probably something that has been bothering them for quite a while, and they are very glad to have the burden lifted from them,” whispered Brendon.

Muttered
This means to talk under your breath about something.

Mumbled
This means to speak so softly you do not say things clearly.

Murmured
To murmur means to speak very quietly, often in a way that others can’t understand.

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When the Speaker is Loud

Boomed
This typically describes a loud, deep voice that comes in from a loud speaker or announcer.

Belted
To belt out something means to speak it very loudly, especially in a singing way. You can belt out a song when you sing as loud as you can.

More: Shouted, Yelled, Screamed, Exclaimed, Announced, Called.

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When the Speaker has a Question or Request

Inquired
To inquire means to ask about something in a formal setting. You often look for someone in charge or who has a lots of experience, such as a hotel concierge.

More: Asked, Requested, Wondered, Begged, Pleaded

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When the Speaker has an Answer

Answered, Explained, Responded, Replied, Acknowledged, Lied, Challenged, Conjected, Guessed, Reasoned

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When you are writing a story, whether it is fiction or nonfiction, you will probably include a lot of quotes. Quotes are direct when you write down the exact words that someone says. By including words that someone actually said, you can allow the reader or listener to better understand what that person meant.

The problem with that is that using the same words can become boring very quickly. If you only describe the person as “saying” something, it does not convey their emotion when they said it.